Photo By Lt.j.g. Drew Verbis | U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Phillip M. Brashear visited Navy Operational Support...... read more read more
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GLENDALE, Ariz. – U.S. Army Reserve Chief Warrant Officer 4 Phillip M. Brashear visited the Navy Operational Support Center Phoenix as a speaker and guest of honor for a chief petty officer induction ceremony. Brashear, the son of the late Master Chief Petty Officer Carl Brashear, spoke candidly and provided personal memories about his father’s legacy and the positive influence it had on his own success.
A legendary figure in American naval history, Brashear’s father was the first African-American to graduate from diving and salvage school and later, the first African-American master diver. In 2000, actor Cuba Gooding Jr. portrayed Brashear in a biopic blockbuster Hollywood film Men of Honor. In 2008, the Navy launched the USNS Carl Brashear, a dry cargo ship named in Brashear’s honor.
“I actually joined the Navy and served as an engine mechanic and an air crewman on a minesweeper,” said Brashear. “But what was I ever going to be in the Navy [except to live in a very large shadow]? During my training I wondered if I could be a helicopter pilot and eventually unlike my dad, I chose to go up, not down.”
Brashear joked that when he told his father that he made the decision to cross over and become a pilot that his father didn't treat him any worse. He then changed to a more serious tone and shared how his personal life lessons could benefit everyone.
“I believe that there are three things that you need to be a vital citizen,” said Brashear. “Work, continuing education and having something that you can believe in which is greater than yourself.”
He addressed the tremendous responsibility of being the son of a Navy legend.
“There’s a lot of pressure on me because of who my dad is,” he said. “If I get in trouble the news headline will focus on my father’s legacy. However, you [pointing to all Sailors] also have this pressure and responsibility because of the uniform you wear and your commitment to service.”
Brashear presented several videos that included news and historical footage of the honors bestowed upon the legendary master diver and provided uplifting advice.
“There are five things anyone can overcome,” said Brashear. “It’s racism, poverty, poor education, handicap and addiction [drugs and alcohol]. We know this to be true because my father overcame all of these things. If he can do it, we have no excuses. You can never say that you can’t do something without trying. Trying and failing is okay, but there is no excuse for giving up or not trying.”
In 2006, during Brashear’s second combat deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, he received an American Red Cross message concerning the declining health of his father. Not realizing the severity of the situation, he entered his father’s hospital room complaining about the challenges he was facing on deployment.
“Even on his death bed my father was teaching me,” said Brashear. “He said son, what are you complaining about? No matter how bad you got it, somebody has it worse. And he was right; why am I complaining about the heat, the food and things that don’t matter? As long as I’m alive I have nothing to complain about. I thought he was going to walk out of the hospital but that Tuesday afternoon in July, I held his hand as the last breath left his body.”
Brashear spoke about how special it was to observe the CPO induction procedure during his visit to NOSC Phoenix, stating that no other branch of service compares to the way the Navy honor’s its traditions and that it provided a window to some of the traditions his father must have experienced.
“At first, I was somewhat surprised to be invited to a Navy installation in the middle of the desert,” Brashear said to a laughing crowd. “I wasn't sure if all I would find was Navy Seabees. But this has been a great experience and as I leave today, remember the things I've shared with you.”
He answered personal questions about his family, his father and the movie Men of Honor before speaking with dozens of Sailors individually and taking personal photos.
“This was an amazing surprise for us,” said Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class (SW) Wesley Brown. “I was blown away by his experience and advice. His story is compelling and I think he contributed well to this special ceremony. He has a lot of greatness in his own right and I’m sure his father is proud.”
Learn more about Master Chief Carl Brashear at http://carlbrashear.org/, Navy Public Affairs Support Element West at http://www.navy.mil/local/nrpacensd/ or visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy or www.twitter.com/usnavy.
| Date Taken: | 09.21.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 09.21.2014 22:51 |
| Story ID: | 142836 |
| Location: | GLENDALE, AZ, US |
| Web Views: | 1,014 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Son celebrates legendary master chief’s life, family’s military legacy and CPO heritage, by LTJG Drew Verbis, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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